The present invention relates to a spinning type fishing reel, and more particularly relates to a spinning type fishing reel with an improved ratchet mechanism for preventing a spool cup on which is provided a line guide or pickup or bail from rotating in the reverse direction and for preventing unwinding of the fishing line.
Generally in the prior art a spinning type fishing reel is provided with a one way or ratchet mechanism for allowing the fishing line to be wound onto the spool thereof, as when the fisherman using the reel rotates a winding handle thereof in the winding direction, while preventing said line from being unwound from said spool and said winding handle from rotating in the reverse direction to said winding direction, as when the fisherman releases said winding handle and the fishing line is in tension. Now, in a conventional such fishing reel, such a ratchet mechanism has been a simple one incorporating a pawl and a ratchet wheel, and has produced a repeated clicking sound by the pawl repeatedly impacting the teeth of the ratchet wheel, when the winding handle is being rotated in the aforesaid winding direction so as to wind in the fishing line. This repeated clicking noise is detrimental to the quality of the environment when the fishing is being performed in a quiet environment, and sometimes irritates some fishermen; and in an extreme case it can even frighten the fish.
Therefore, a desire has arisen among the fishing public for a type of spinning type fishing reel which does not produce such a clicking sound when the fishing line is being wound in, but is substantially silent. Such so called silent reels, in which the ratchet or one way mechanism is more complicated than such an above mentioned simple one incorporating a pawl and a ratchet wheel, have lately come to be introduced, and these fishing reels are nowadays becoming very popular, particularly in Europe and North America.
However, on the other hand, when there is loud ambient noise such as water or wave noise, then the clicking sound of the pawl against the ratchet wheel during winding in of the fishing line is not really annoying, and in fact some fisherman actually prefer for such a noise to be present. For such people, in such circumstances, the above described silent spinning type fishing reels which produce no clicking sound during winding in of the fishing line are quite unsatisfactory.
Further, in the construction of a spinning type fishing reel, it is desirable that also the option should be available, when desired, of suspending the operation of the above described ratchet mechanism, so that the fishing line is allowed to be wound onto the spool when the fisherman rotates said winding handle thereof in the winding direction, and said winding handle and said spool cup are allowed to rotate in the referse direction and thus said line is allowed to be unwound from said spool when the fisherman releases said winding handle and when the fishing line is in tension.